Electric tilting furnace



Nov. 7, 1950 L, L. BABcocK E'rAL ELECTRIC TILTING FURNACE Filed lay 22, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 JOHN D. .Shaw/N6,

Loro L. Bcocz INVENTORS NOV- 7, 1950 1 L. BABcocK ErAL v 2,528,571

ELECTRIC TILTING FURNACE Filed May 22, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I4 g 26 'Y 'z2 JaH/v D. Spa/NG,

Loro L. B05006116, v JNVENToRs Nov. 7, 1950 l. L. BABcocK Erm. 2,528,571

ELECTRIC TILTING FURNACE i 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed lay 22, 1948 INVENTORS TTUNEVS Jai/ND. Soma/NG, [,oyo L 596600K,

NOV 7 1950 L. L. BABcocK lsrAL` 2,528,571

ELECTRIC TILTING FURNACE A\ sl 5o O ai?. e.

Jon/VD. .Shao/N6, Loro L Bnac'oc'e, '5 INVENToRs.

Wiliam Patented Nov. 7, 1950 ELECTRIC TILTING FURNACE l Lloyd L. Babcock, Compton, and John D. Spalding, Los Angeles, Calif.. assignors to The National Supply Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application May 22, 1948, Serial No. 28,556

7 Claims.

`be moved out from under the roof when desired,

and in this way the charging operation may be eilected in a minimum of time. The principal invention relates to the latter type of furnace in which the furnace shell may be rolled out from under the roof on rails provided for that pur- DOSC.

It is an important object of this invention to provide an electric melting furnace having an electrode support and electrical equipment at one side and means for moving the furnace shell i out from under the furnace roof in a direction away from the electrode support, the entire furnace including the roof and shell being tiltable about an axis parallel to the direction of movement of the shell in order that the entire furnace may be tilted in one direction toward a pouring pit and tilted in the opposite direction toward a slagging oil' pit.

Another object is to provide an improved roofI supporting structure, together with novel means for lifting the roof sufficiently to enable the shell to be moved laterally from under the roof.

Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure l isa side elevation showing a preferred embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof showing the pouring spout.

Figure 3 is a. top plan view.

Figure 4 is a sectional detail taken substantially on the lines 4-4 as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional perspective view illustrating details of the structurefor elevating the furnace roof.

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on the lines 6-6 as shown in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a partial sectional view on an enlarged scale taken substantially on the lines I- -1 as shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a sectional plan view partly broken away taken substantially on the lines 8-8 as shown in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the furnace generally designated I0 includes a shell II and a roof I2. A pair of spaced main supporting beams I3 extend across a central pit I4 and are supported adjacent the ends on the walls I5 forming sides of the pit I4. Each of the main support beams I3 carries a rack I6 on its upper surface. A pair of spaced gear segments Il connected by crossbeams I3 and Ila provide a. rocking support base I9 for the furnace III. Transverse beams 2li secured to the support base I9 are pivotally connected to the upper end of a pair of lnks 2I. The lower ends of the links 2I are pivotally mounted at 22 to a gear wheel 23 rotatably supported on the base 24 positionedwithin the central pit I4. Pinions 25 mounted on drive shaft 26 are adapted to be driven from a source of power 2l. From this description it will be understood that rotation of the drive shaft 26 serves to turn the pinions 25 and gear wheels 23 to cause the links 2i to tilt the support base I9 in either direction from the vertical.

A pouring spout 28 is secured to the furnace shell II ai; one side and positioned over a pouring pit 29. A door 30 is mounted on the furnace shell II diametrically oDDOsite the pouring spout 28 and positioned to close the slag-off opening 3|. A short lip or spout 32 is mounted below the opening 3| in position to pour into a slag-off pit 3 The beams I8 on the tiltable support base I9 support parallel rails 34 which extend outwardly away from the electrode supporting structure 35. These rails 34 carried by the tiltable support base I9 are adapted to be aligned with stationary rails 36 which extend away from the furnace to a location where the shell II is to be charged with material to be melted. The shell is provided with a plurality of supporting Wheels 31 adapted to roll on the rails 34 and on the rail extensions 36.

Power means is provided on the tiltable support base I9 for moving the frame shell laterally on the rails 34, and as shown in the drawings this power means includes a pair of sprockets 38 mounted on a, drive shaft 39 adapted to be driven from a. motor and reduction unit 40 carried on the tiltable support base I9. Chains 4I having their opposed ends fixed to cover guards 42 extend under the shell II parallel to the rails 34 and are adapted to be engaged by the sprockets 38. Accordingly, rotation of the motor and reduction unit 40 turns the sprockets 38 and causes the shell II to roll along the rails 34 and outward onto the rail extensions 36. The parts are proportioned-so that the sprockets 38 maintain contact with the chains 4l while the furnace shell Il rolls completely out from under the roof generally designated I2. After the shel1 II has been charged through the open top with material to be melted, the motor and reduction gear 40 is again energized to cause the shell II to roll back into position under the roof I2. A skirt or guard 'I2 may be provided on the forward portion of the shell II to cover the sprockets 38, drive shaft 39 and associated mechanism when the shell I l is in position under the roof I2.

As shown in Figure 5, laterally spaced upright beam sections 43 are secured to the tilt able support base I9 at their lower ends and are connected by rigid cross-members 44. These upright beams 43 are formed as box sections to enclose supporting and elevating mechanism for the roof I2. A power shaft 45 is rotatably supported on bearing assemblies 46 mounted on the upright beam sections 43 and is provided with an extending portion 4'I at one end adapted to be driven from a suitable source of power (not shown) Formed integrally on the shaft 45 and positioned within the enclosures 48 provided by the upright beam sections 43 is a pair of eccentrics 49. An eccentric strap 50 encircles each of .the eccentrics 49 and is pivotally connected at I to the lower end of a post 52 mounted `within the enclosures 48. Each of the upright beam sections 43 is provided with a lower roller 53 and an upper roller 54 adapted to contact opposite sides of the posts 52. A pair of forwardly extending roof supporting beams 55 is carried on the upper ends of the posts 52. The beams are connected at their extending ends by transverse beam 56. Gussets 5l may be provided to supply stiffness to the connection between the horizontal beams 55 and the vertical posts 52.

The beams 55, 56 and posts 52 comprise a supporting and lifting yoke vfor the roof ring 58. The. roof ring 58 is suspended from the parallel support beams 55 by means of connecting links 59. Refractory material 60 carried by the ring 58 forms the arched roof of the furnace. In its normal operative position the roof ring 58 rests lon the upper flange 6I of the shell II so that the Avrefractory linings 6B and 62 of the roof and shell provide a closed space within the furnace. When it is desired to lift the roof I2 in order to roll the shell laterally out from under the roof into charging position, the shaft 45 is turned to cause the eccentrics 49 to lift the posts 52 and horizontal beams 55. This action lifts the ring 58 clear of the flange 5I and permits the shell to be laterally moved. It -will be observed in Figure 6 that the weight of the beams 55 and roof I2 is carried on `the eccentrics 49, and the posts are guided by means of the upper and lower rollers 54 and 53 respectively on the upright beam sections 43. This construction allows the roof I2 to be raised vertically with a minimum of shock and vibration in order that the refractory brick El) may not be displaced or damaged.

The electrode supporting structure 35 includes a pair of end columns 63 extending upwardly from the upright beam sections 43, together with a plurality of channel sections 64 also mounted in upright position and connected to the upright beam sections 43, transverse stiffener 44 and shelf 1I. A cap structure 65 connects the upper .ends of the column 53 and channel B4. The

channels G4 are arranged in pairs having their end flanges inwardly directed to provide guide ways for carriers 66 adapted to travel vertically between the pairs of channels 64.

As shown in Figure 8, the carriers 66 are provided with rollers 61 adapted to engage the flanges 68 ,of the channels 64 for guiding the carriers 6B. The rollers 6l may be mounted on the carrier B6 at vertically spaced locations as shown in Figure l. A suitable mechanism (not shown) is provided for raising and lowering the carrier 66 relative to the channel 64. Such mechanism is well known in the art andserves to raise and lower'the electrode supports in order to feed and retract the three carbon electrodes 69 into the furnace through the roof I2. Each of the carriers 66 supports a clamp 'I0 which engages one of the carbon electrodes 69. The electrical leads for conducting current to the electrode holders 10 are omitted in the drawing for clarity of illustration, but it is to be understood that they connect to suitable transformer equipment located back of the furnace I0 on the opposite side of the electrode supports 35 from the roof I2. from under the roof I2 in a direction away from the transformer equipment (not shown). From the above description it will be understood that when the furnace I0 is tilted toward the pouring pit 29 or slag-off pit 33 the electrode supporting structure 35, electrode 69, and roof I2 tilt as a unit 'with the shell II and tiltable support base I9.

I [n operation the roof I2 ls elevated by rotating the eccentric shaft 45, and the shell II is rolled out under the rail extensions 35 by means of the drive sprockets 38. The shell is then charged through the open topY thereof with the material to be melted, and'is then rolled back into position under the roof I2. The electrodes 69 are lowered through the roof I2 and the roof I2 is then lowered by rotation of the eccentric shaft 45 to allow the roof to rest on the upper end of the shell Il. Electrical energy is then supplied to the carbon electrodes 69 and the furnace operates in the conventional manner to melt the material within the 'shell by the action of the electric arc.

During the melting or refining of ferrous metals or alloys it is necessary for metallurgical reasons to withdraw from the furnace the slag which forms and floats on the surface of the molten metal within. the shell. The operation of removing this slag is known in the art as slaggingoff and is accomplished through the opening 3l upon movement of the door 30 to open position. The furnace IIJ is then tilted by rotation of the gear wheel 23 so that the pouring spout 28 is elevated and the slag-off lip 32 is lowered. A rabble bar (not shown) is then inserted through the door 3i and manipulated by an operator to Withdraw the floating slag from the pool of molten meta-l, and this slag falls into a suitable container positioned within the slag-off pit 33. When the slag-off operation is complete the rabble bar is withdrawn, the door 30 closed, and the furnace I0 returned to its normal upright position.

When the heat is ready to pour a ladle is positioned within the pouring pit 29 and the gear wheel 23 is rotated to tilt the furnace in a direction to lower the pouring spout 28, and the pouring operation is accomplished in the customary fashion. When the heat has been poured the gear wheel 23 is rotated to bring the furnace IIl back to its normal upright position, and the carriers 66 are raised by means (not shown) to In other words, the shell II rolls out| withdraw the electrode 69 upwardly out of the shell Il. The roof I2 is then elevated and the shell Il rolled out on the rails 34 and 36 for recharging.

Having fully described our invention, it is to be understood that we do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but our invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

l. In an electric melting furnace, the combination of: a tiltable support base; parallel horizontal rails on said support base positioned at right angles to the direction of tilting movement of the support base; relatively fixed rail extensions aligned with said rails when the support base is in horizontal position; a furnace shell provided with wheels resting on said rails and provided with a pouringr spout and a slag-off opening at diametrically opposite locations; a furnace roof positioned above the shell and cooperable therewith to define a furnace enclosure; means for suppcting the roof independently of the shell including upright support structure fixed on said base at one end of the rails and located adjacent the periphery of the shell intermediate the positions of the pouring spout and slag-off opening; and cooperating means on the shell and tiltable support bas whereby the shell may be moved laterally out from under the furnace roof onto the rail extensions in a direction at right angles to the pouring spout.

2. In an electric melting furnace, the combination of: a tiltable support base mounted between a pouring pit and a slag-off pit; parallel horizontal rails on said support base positioned at right angles to the direction of tilting movement of the support base; relatively xed rail extensions aligned with said rails when the support base is in horizontal position; a furnace shell provided with wheels resting on said rails and provided with a pouring spout adjacent the pourlng pit and a slag-off opening adjacent the slagoff pit; a furnace roof positioned above the shell and cooperable therewith to dene a furnace enclosure; means for supporting the roof independently of the shell including upright support structure fixed on said base at one end of the rails and located adjacent the periphery of the shell intermediate the positions of the pouring spout and slag-off opening; lifting means associated with said support structure for raising the furnace roof upwardly away from said shell; and cooperating means on the shell and tiltable support base whereby the shell may be moved horizontally out from under the furnace roof onto the rail extensions in a direction at right angles to the pouring spout without passing over either of said pits.

3. In an electric melting furnace, the combination of: a tiltable support base; parallel rails on said support base positioned at right angles to the direction of tilting movement of the support base; a furnace shell having supporting wheels thereon resting on said rails, said shell being provided with a pouring spout and a slag-off opening at diametrically opposite locations on opposite sides of said parallel rails; a furnace roof positioned above the shell and cooperating therewith to define a furnace enclosure; means for supporting the roof independently of the shell including upright support structure fixed on said base at one end of the rails and located adjacent the periphery of the shell intermediate the positions of the pouring spout and slag-off opening; and means for rolling the shell along the rails laterally out from under the furnace roof ln a direction away from the roof support structure.

4. In an electric melting furnace, the combination of: a tiltable support base mounted between a. pouring pit and a slag-off pit; parallel horizontal rails on said support base positioned at right angles to the direction of tilting movement of the support base; relatively fixed rail extensions aligned with said rails when the support base is in horizontal position; a furnace shell provided with wheels resting on said rails and provided with a pouring spout adjacent the pouring pit and a slag-off opening adjacent the slagofi' pit; a furnace roof positioned above the shell and cooperable therewith to define a furnace enclosure; means for supporting the roof independently of the shell including upright support structure fixed on said base at one end of the rails and located adjacent the periphery of the shell intermediate the positions of the pouring spout and slag-off opening; means carried by the base for effecting relative vertical movement between the shell and the roof; and cooperating means on the shell and tiltable support base whereby the shell may be moved horizontally out from under the furnace roof onto the rail extensions in a direction at right angles to the pouring spout.

5. In an electric melting furnace, the combination of a tiltable support base; a pair of parallel horizontal rails positioned on the base at right angles to the direction of tilting movement of the base; a furnace shell provided with support wheels resting on said rails; a pouring spout on the furnace shell at right angles to the direction of the rails; relatively fixed rail extensions aligned with the said rails when the support base is in horizontalposition; and power means on the support base selectively operable to roll the shell on its supporting wheels along said rails and onto said rail extensions, said power means including a rotatable drive element positioned near the juncture of the rails and rail extensions and adapted to cooperate with a driven element mounted on the furnace shell.

6. In an electric melting furnace, the combination of: a tiltable support base; a pair of parallel horizontal rails positioned on the base at right angles to the direction of tilting movement of the support base; a furnace shell provided with support wheels resting on said rails; a pouring spout on the furnace shell at right `angles to the direction of the rails; relatively fixed rail extensions aligned with the said rails when the support base is in horizontal position; a roof cooperable with the shell to form a furnace enclosure, support means on the base at one end of the rails for supporting the roof independently of the shell; and power means on the support base selectively operable to roll the shell on its supporting wheels along said rails away from the support means and onto said rail extensions, said power means including a rotatable drive element positioned near the juncture of the rails and rail extensions and adapted to cooperate with a driven element mounted on the furnace shell.

7. In an electric melting furnace, the combination of: a tiltable support base; parallel horizontal rails on said support base positioned ar. right angles to the direction of tilting movement of the support base; relatively fixed rail extensions aligned with said rails when the support base is in horizontal position; a furnace shell provided with wheels resting on the rails and provided with a pouring spout and a slag-off opening at diametrically opposite locations; means for REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 16,054 Moore Apr. 28, 1925 978,137 Creelman Dec. 13, 1910 Number Number 2 437,333

8 Name Date Canda June 13, 1911 Benjamin July 7, 1914 Warman Nov. 2, 1915 Cadwell Nov. 25, 1919 Snyder Dec. 23, 1919 Priwer Oct. 11, 1921 Leander June 20, 1922 Moore et a1 Feb. 13, 1923 Benjamin July 24, 1923 Masel et al. Nov. 30, 1926 Brooke Apr. 26, 1927 Bernard Feb. 7, 1928 Bernard Feb. 7, 1928 Nissim Mar. 16, 1943 Kuehlthau Mar. 19, 1946 Moore May 10, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Oct. 28, 1935 

